The Silmarillion

[The Sevenshot Kid]

I am now going to reread it with my phone set to play that recording.

[RickZarber]

That guy Fingolfin deserves a pretty epic song... oh wait! (Just in case there was anyone out there still unaware that such a thing existed.)

I first read the Silmarillion seven years ago after a few aborted attempts. The nice thing about it is that once you have a working knowledge of the place and people names, re-readings are easy.

Have you read The Children of H?rin yet, Bit? (Curious as to whether you'd read that before or after.)

If you really really like the works of Tolkien, I highly recommend The History of Middle-Earth, Christopher Tolkien's 12 volume exploration of the various versions of the stories. The composition of the published Silmarillion is a bit of an oddity, cobbled together as it is from disparate writings that span several decades. I've found reading the tales in their original and evolving forms gave me a much deeper appreciation of the canon.

[BitVyper]

I've got some other Tolkein stuff I'm planning to get into after I finish this. This bookstore I went to had that one book about Tom Bombadil, but it was 120 dollars for whatever reason (didn't ask why), so I didn't get it.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Wow, so I actually started reading this last night. It only took me like 4 years to pick it back up, not bad considering. Haven't got far yet though; the Elves just all got divided into different Noldor and Sindar and Teleri factions, which I now completely understand.

It's actually pretty good once you get into it.

[RickZarber]

You know what's really great? The Lay of Leithian--the epic-length poem that comprises the long form of the story of Beren and L?thien. Specifically the 1955 revision. (Found in The Lays of Beleriand.)

Click for a bit of the poem.Far in the northern hills of stone,
in caverns black there was a throne
by flame encircled. There the smoke
in coiling columns rose to choke
the breath of life, and there in deep
and gasping dungeons lost would creep
to hopeless death all those who strayed
by doom beneath that ghastly shade.

A king there sat, most dark and fell
of all that under heaven dwell.
Than earth or sea, than moon or star,
more ancient was he, mightier far
in mind abysmal than the thought
of Eldar or of man, and wrought
of strength primeval; ere the stone
was hewn to build the world, alone
he walked in darkness, fierce and dire,
burned, as he wielded it, by fire.

He 'twas that laid in ruin black
the Blessed Realm and fled then back
to Middle-Earth anew to build
beneath the mountains mansions filled
with misbegotten slaves of hate;
death's shadow brooded at his gate.
His hosts he armed with spears of steel
and brands of flame, and at their heel
the wolf walked and the serpent crept
with lidless eyes; now forth they leapt,
his ruinous legions, kindling war
in field and frith and woodland hoar.
Where long the golden elanor
had gleamed amid the grass, they bore
their banners black; where finch had sung,
and harpers silver harps had wrung,
now dark the ravens wheeled and cried
amid the reek, and far and wide
the swords of Morgoth dripped with red
above the hewn and trampled dead.
Slowly his shadow like a cloud
rolled from the North, and on the proud
that would not yield his vengeance fell;
to death or thralldom under hell
all things he doomed: the Northern land
lay cowed beneath his ghastly hand.

No joke, I typed that out from memory. /nerd

I actually know about 200 lines more, but I'm too lazy to type them.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

I just got to the 3rd battle in the Beleriand wars and I have to concur; Melkor was a fucking pussy! Over and over again it talks about how he's too scared to move against the Valar or the Eldar, despite how much power he has and how much shit he stirs up.

Though, I don't blame him for running away from Ungoliant. That bitch was fucking crazy!

[CABAL49]

The Silmarillion is on my list for books to read. I have read Children of Hurin, which was soo damn sad. It was hard for me to read because it was so sad. Turin's story was included in Children of Hurin correct?

Edit: Wait, I remember now. What I had read was Morgoth's Ring. Morgoth was a crazy dude.

[BitVyper]

Over and over again it talks about how he's too scared to move against the Valar or the Eldar, despite how much power he has and how much shit he stirs up.

To be fair, he's probably about the equal of Manwe, but Manwe is friends with a dozen or so other guys who are almost as powerful as him. Melkor did pretty good all things considered, but yeah, Sauron's the scarier villain. It's just that he got to play the game on a lower difficulty setting.

Anyway, I finished it off a couple days ago. It was a very satisfying read, but I think most of the best stuff is in the middle, and Fingolfin's fight with Morgoth is easily one of the most awesome scenes in history period.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

I hope they never try to adapt all of it at once. It would turn out so bad.

[BitVyper]

It'd be like trying to get the whole Bible into one movie. Too many little stories going on.

The story of Beren and Luthien would be a nice one for a film.